Building Purpose-Driven Teams in Healthcare with Brian Bausano, MD, MBA

In this conversation on Compassion & Courage, Dr. Brian Bausano shares his journey to becoming an emergency medicine physician, highlighting the emotional challenges and the importance of teamwork and compassion in healthcare. He discusses the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the necessity of building a purpose-driven team, and the coping strategies that help healthcare professionals manage the emotional toll of their work. Dr. Bausano emphasizes the human element in patient care and the role of faith in providing comfort to patients during their most vulnerable moments. Join us in trying to keep clinicians in the field and taking care of themselves and others. Resources for you: More communication tips and resources for how to cultivate compassion: https://marcusengel.com/freeresources/Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusengel/Connect with Dr. Brian Bausano on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbausanoLearn more about Marcus’ Books: https://marcusengel.com/store/Subscribe to our podcast through Apple: https://bit.ly/MarcusEngelPodcastSubscribe to our podcast through YouTube: https://bit.ly/Youtube-MarcusEngelPodcast About Brian Bausano, MD, MBA:Brian Bausano, MD, MBA is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine, where he oversees clinical operations across six emergency departments serving more than 255,000 patients annually. With dual expertise in medicine and business—holding an MBA from Washington University's Olin Business School—he brings a unique lens to the intersection of operational excellence and patient-centered care. The first half of Brian's career was dedicated to educating an entire generation of emergency medicine physicians. He founded the Healthcare Administration Leadership & Management (HALM) Fellowship to develop the next generation of physician leaders and serves as Immediate Past President of the Missouri Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Everything Brian does is driven by a singular higher purpose: connecting people to their health, their happiness, and each other. His work proves that operational rigor and empathy aren't competing priorities but reinforcing ones—that building better systems is how we build better human connections. For Brian, emergency medicine isn't just about saving lives in critical moments; it's about creating environments where patients feel seen, teams feel supported, and compassion operates at scale. Date: 3/9/2026 Name of show: Compassion & Courage: Conversations in HealthcareEpisode number and title: Episode 179 – Building Purpose-Driven Teams in Healthcare with Brian Bausano, MD, MBA